A dry season: celebrating without spirits

Posted 8/21/12

Though few would argue with the notion that the holidays can drive you to drink, there are those who make it through them without a single tipple. Pity the poor soul who has to nurse a glass of tepid …

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A dry season: celebrating without spirits

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Though few would argue with the notion that the holidays can drive you to drink, there are those who make it through them without a single tipple. Pity the poor soul who has to nurse a glass of tepid seltzer while the rest of the party is quaffing frosty craft beers and champagne punch. At this time of year, when the festivities are all about fellowship, no one should feel left out, so the best hosts put some muscle into creative nonalcoholic options. This means drinks neither cloying nor insipid but refreshing, nuanced and thoughtfully presented. Done right, these “dry” beverages can have the balance and depth of the best cocktails.

If you’re willing to go in search of a few unusual ingredients (online resources abound), I highly recommend making your own tonic syrup. Both sweet and bitter, it’s packed with citrusy and aromatic notes from lemongrass, lavender, cinchona bark, spices and a little citric acid for that mouth-puckering tartness. Boiled in water, then steeped for a couple of days, the ingredients meld into a complex brew. Combined with sugar syrup, the result is terrific with flat or sparkling water, with or without booze.

I always recommend taking advantage of what’s in season—if not locally then around the country—and winter means apples, a variety of citrus and pomegranates. If you have a juicer, then why not present inspired combinations of fresh, flavorful (and incidentally healthy) ingredients? Some of my favorites include pineapple, cucumber and celery; orange, carrot and ginger; and apple, pomegranate and jalapeño. Serve these as intense shots or diluted with water.

Because warming drinks are always popular at this time of year, it’s a good idea to have a variation on the hot toddy in your repertoire. I make my “Not Toddy” with a base of smoky lapsang souchong tea, combined with apple cider, honey, lemon and spices. It’s warming even without the whisky and really hits the spot on a snowy evening.

Syrups are one of the best things to have on hand for impromptu entertaining as they take up little space, keep for a while in the refrigerator and allow you to offer a range of choices to your abstaining guests. A one-to-one ratio of sugar to water makes a classic simple syrup and can be infused with a wide range of herbs and spices, from black peppercorns to vanilla bean to red chile. Fresh ginger and lime zest is a delicious pairing, and chai spices—cardamom, star anise, fennel, clove, nutmeg—make a really sophisticated and intriguing syrup to mix with sparkling water or even iced tea.

There’s even a variation on this syrup formula that requires no cooking at all. Simply juice any of the season’s delicious citrus, combine that with an equal quantity of sugar and shake it all up in a jar until the sugar dissolves completely. This keeps the flavor of the fruit bright and pure. Greet someone with a tall, frosty glass of sparkling water, tinted pink with grapefruit syrup and a handful of ruby red pomegranate seeds, and let the celebration begin.

Lemon-Rosemary Spritzer

Makes about 2 cups, enough for 8 drinks

2 Tablespoons lemon zest

3 sprigs rosemary, plus additional for garnish

1 1/3 cups fresh lemon juice (about 9 lemons)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Wash lemons thoroughly and dry. Using a microplane grater, remove 2 tablespoons lemon zest and set aside. Juice lemons and set juice aside.

Bring water and sugar to a gentle simmer in a large saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add lemon zest and rosemary sprigs. Turn off heat, cover and let stand until completely cool. Strain and discard solids. Combine with fresh lemon juice and stir to mix well.

To serve, fill a tall glass with crushed ice. Add 1/4 cup syrup and top off with sparkling water. Stir and garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Smokin’ Not Toddy

Makes 1 drink

1 Tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 clove

1 star anise

5 ounces hot brewed lapsang souchong tea

2 ounces apple cider

Lemon peel twist, for garnish

Combine honey, lemon juice and spices in a heatproof glass or mug. Pour in the hot tea and apple cider and stir well. Garnish with lemon peel twist.

Tonic Syrup

Makes about 6 cups

4 cups water

1/4 cup powdered cinchona bark

1/4 cup citric acid

3 limes, strips of zest only

3 lemons, strips of zest only

1 grapefruit, strips of zest only

1 cup chopped lemongrass

9 whole allspice berries

6 whole cardamom pods

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds

1 Tablespoon dried lavender

4 wild lime leaves (aka kaffir lime)

1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt

3-4 cups rich simple syrup (two parts sugar to one water)

In a covered saucepan, bring all ingredients except the simple syrup to a boil and reduce heat immediately. Simmer on low for 30 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool fully. Transfer to a carafe or jar and chill for two days.



Pass through a superfine strainer or cheesecloth. Return to the carafe and refrigerate for a day or two, allowing sediment to accumulate on the bottom. When the layer of sediment seems stable, gently decant the clearer liquid on top without disturbing the sediment “mud.” You should have about 3 cups at this point; add to this liquid an equal measure of simple syrup, mixing well. Funnel into a clean bottle and refrigerate.

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